Before last, we took up the topic of the great inner conflict of the disciple, a fierce struggle
between the cravings of our insatiable flesh and the indwelling Holy Spirit, emphasizing
the need for an ongoing crucifying of the flesh and a walking in the steps of the Spirit.
And since that talk, some of you have approached me and asked if I might not say a little bit
more on this vital topic, moving from the forest to the trees and indeed down into the
individual weeds, getting really, really practical.
So that's my hope this morning, to take up this crucial topic of sin slaying and try to
thicken the description of the path to victory as concretely as possible.
And this is an arena, or at least it can be, of great frustration and even anguish for many
Christians.
They attempt to slay their sin, but never seem to succeed at it.
I wonder if you've heard of Samuel Johnson.
He was, here's some excerpts from his prayer journal.
He was a professing Christian, and it starts in 1738.
That's at least as early as I've found some of these references.
He writes in 1738,
Oh Lord, enable me to redeem the time which I have spent in sloth.
But you keep working through his dictionary, and 20 years later, you still see an entry like,
Oh mighty God, enable me to shake off sloth and redeem the time misspent in idleness and sin
by a diligent application of the days yet remaining.
Of course, two years later, enable me, Lord, to shake off idleness and sloth.
Then two years later, I have resolved to resolve till I am afraid to resolve again.
Let me shake off sloth.
A few years later, my indolence since my last reception of the Lord's Supper has sunk into
grosser sluggishness.
My purpose is from this time to avoid idleness and sloth and to rise early.
Five months later, resolved to rise early, not later than 6 a.m. if I can.
A year later, I purpose to rise at 8 a.m.
Because though I cannot rise early, it will be much earlier than I now rise, for I often
lie in my bed until 2 p.m.
And several years later, still, I am not yet in the state to form any resolutions.
I propose, I purpose, and I hope to rise early in the morning at 8 a.m.
And by degrees, eventually at 6 a.m.
Then 1775, okay, six years after that.
When I look back upon my resolutions of improvement and my amendments which year after year have been
made and broken, why do I yet try to resolve again?
I try because reformation is necessary and despair is criminal.
Therefore, resolved, rise at 8 a.m.
Then a couple of years, several years after that, I will not despair.
Help me.
Help me, oh my God.
Resolved, rise at 8 a.m.
Or earlier to avoid idleness.
And this is just a few years.
This is 44 years after his first entry about sloth and just a few years before his death.
Okay?
So, a familiar frustration?
An ineffectual fight against sin.
What can we do?
Is there any hope?
Will our battle against our sin be like Samuel Johnson's effort against sloth and just kind
of drag on more and more resolutions?
What is the path of promised victory?
That's what we want to look into.
And to lead us into that sought-out territory, there is a pivotal principle the Apostle gives
us in Romans 8.13, where Paul writes,
If by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
And this is where we want to begin to kind of pull on the threads of sin slaying.
And let's not fail to notice, in passing, the stakes in this matter.
Are they not remarkably high?
None other than life and death are in the balance here.
As the full statement of the Apostle reads, Romans 8.13,
If you live according to the flesh, you will die.
But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
As John Owen, Puritan John Owen famously put it in lapidary succinctness,
Be killing sin, or sin will assuredly be killing you.
So if we are to live, we must be putting to death the deeds of the body.
Incidentally, by deeds of the body, Paul means the deeds of the flesh.
It's clear from the parallelism of this verse that we're looking at.
That is, the stuff in us that comes out of us when we are acting out of hostility toward God,
or in subordination to him, or unbelief toward him.
That's what we mean by the flesh, or the deeds of the body.
In a word, sin.
Okay?
All that falls foul, or falls short, of the perfect humanity set forth in Christ.
So that's the target of our zealous efforts at extirpation.
And extirpation, it must be put to death, it says.
Not simply wound, or periodically prune.
Just a little off the top, please.
That should be sufficient.
No, we need to put it to death.
The axe must be laid at the root of the tree.
And for if we let our flesh prevail,
what we think, feel, and do,
be shaped decisively by our flesh,
what we think, feel, and do,
apart from or against God,
we will die.
We will die.
So, the vital question becomes,
how do we manage to put to death the deeds of the body?
And notice how, in our text,
how it emphasizes the need to battle this flesh
in a particular way.
In a particular way.
Do you notice that?
If by the spirit,
you are putting to death the deeds of the body,
you will live.
So this is critical.
This is critical.
The Christian is not simply one
who tries to put to death the deeds of the body.
Lots of unbelievers do this too.
Everyone from dieters to ascetics
perform all kinds of acts of self-denial
against their acts of the body.
Therapies and self-help manuals decant
multiple methods of doing this.
And there's a whole new spate of them.
Every new year they come out
to try to assist us
in getting control over our habits
and these sorts of things.
Self-disciplined,
kind of Ben Franklin types
abound,
armed with all kinds of resolutions
for self-improvement,
just like Samuel Johnson.
All these resolutions for self-improvement.
And again,
neither does just being a Christian
guarantee
that we will go about
seeking to put to death the flesh
in the right or effectual way.
And often our efforts
can feel like
they're amounting
to just a miserable failure.
Remember Samuel Johnson's
unavailing efforts here.
So,
the apostle is adamant here,
it must be by the spirit
that we do the killing.
No other way is effectual.
So our question naturally becomes,
how is this done?
What does
putting to death
the deeds of the spirit
by the spirit
mean?
What does that mean?
Now,
the apostle is not
quite as explicit here
as we might wish
that he were,
but we're not without resort.
For the context
that we have,
that this verse is in,
gives us a good clue
as to what he means.
For he's just explained,
same chapter,
verse five,
so Romans eight,
five,
those according
to the spirit
set their minds
on the things
of the spirit.
Okay,
verse five.
So it's likely
that
the way we put
to death the flesh
by the spirit
is by
setting our minds
on the things
of the spirit.
Okay?
And if this is so,
then the question
becomes,
what are
the things
of the spirit?
What are the things
of the spirit?
Well,
without wanting
to unduly narrow
the identification,
it is interesting
that there is
one place
in the New Testament
where the exact
phrase occurs,
and it's again
from Paul's pen,
1 Corinthians 2,
14.
Okay?
I'll read that.
1 Corinthians 2,
14.
The natural person
does not accept
the things
of the spirit
for they are
folly to him.
He is not able
to understand them
because they are
spiritually discerned.
And in the context,
what he is talking
about here,
I should read it
from verse 12.
Now,
we have received
not a spirit
of the world,
but the spirit
who is from God
that we might
understand
the things
freely given
to us
by God.
And we impart
this in words
not taught
by human wisdom,
but taught
by the spirit
interpreting
spiritual truths
to those
who are spiritual.
And the natural
person does not
accept these
things of
the spirit.
So,
what are the
things of the
spirit here?
Well,
the words,
the words
taught by
the Holy Spirit
given to Paul
to teach us
in his,
in the New Testament
writings.
In other words,
the apostolic words
that we now have
in the apostolic
writings.
The scripture.
The voice
of the spirit
heard through
the inspired
words,
apostolic words
that we now
have in the
scripture.
Okay,
so,
I want to suggest
that to set
our minds
on the things
of the spirit
certainly involves
setting them
on the word
of God
as we now
have it
in our
Bibles.
So,
this is my
central claim
and I'm
quite confident
that we are
in solid,
on solid
ground here.
Incidentally,
a corroborative
piece of
evidence
that we have
made a right
identification,
things of the
spirit,
the word of
God,
is in Paul's
discussion in
Ephesians 6
of the whole
armor of God.
You remember
that?
Okay,
and if you
look down
through that
whole armor
of God,
there's only
one piece
of that armor
with which
you can
kill.
What is
that?
Do you
remember?
Well,
the sword
of the spirit
which is
the word
of God.
Okay,
the sword
of the spirit
which is
the word
of God.
Okay,
so,
and as
further
and decisive
support for
this contention,
does not
Jesus do
exactly this?
When he
is faced
with temptation,
remember you
get in Luke
4,
different places
in the Gospels,
when he's
faced with
temptation
by Satan
coming to
him,
how does
he respond
to that?
He says
no,
but he
quotes
scripture.
That's right,
he actually
comes back
with scripture
and he sets
his mind
on,
the things
of the spirit
which is
the word
of God,
the scriptures.
That's
exactly how
he does it.
So,
I want to
suggest
that
we put
to death
the deeds
of the body
by the spirit,
okay,
by means of
the spirit,
by taking
our minds
and setting
our minds
firmly
on the
word of
God.
Okay,
so it's
the word
of God
that is
the instrument
in killing
our sin
as we set
our minds
upon it.
The word
is the means
by which
the vigorous
action of
the spirit
is released.
We set
our minds
upon it.
That's what
we need to do.
So,
how does this
practically
work itself
out?
I find
Paul's
remarks
in Galatians
to be
really helpful
in filling
this out.
Particularly
in Galatians
3,
about
verse 5,
which
gets at
what we
do,
what we
do,
such
that the
Holy Spirit
is at
work.
Okay,
and Paul
is asking
in Galatians,
in Galatians
3, 5,
he's asking
them,
now think
back,
Galatians,
when the
spirit of
God came
to you
and how
did the
spirit work
effectually
in you?
Okay,
and then he
asks them a
question.
He says,
does he
who supplies
the spirit
to you
and work
miracles
among you,
does he
do so
through
works of
the law
or by
hearing
with faith
or by
hearing
with faith?
So he's
asking the
Galatians,
now remember,
how is this
miracle working
power of the
spirit unleashed
in your
lives?
How did that
work?
Two options.
Was it
trying to make
things happen
by performing
the works of
the law,
just obeying
commands?
Was that how
it happened?
Gong,
wrong answer,
thank you for
playing,
no,
second answer,
or by
hearing with
faith?
Hearing with
faith.
Bingo,
right answer,
you win.
So,
and incidentally,
this is one of
the grand points
of the whole
epistle of
Galatians,
that you are
actually sanctified,
you are made
progressively holy
by the same
means and
principle by
which you
were justified.
Originally,
when you came
to Christ,
you heard a
wonderful promise
and you
believed in
that promise
and you
were justified.
And you
know what?
It's just
the same
when it
comes to
sanctification.
You have
a promise
and you
set your
mind on
that promise
and you
believe that
promise,
you ingress
that promise
and you
will be
sanctified.
You are
sanctified in
the same
way in
which you
are justified.
And that's
Galatians in
a nutshell.
So,
that's what
he's saying.
And notice,
notice how
Paul doesn't
just say
by faith.
By faith.
He adds
something else.
Notice,
hearing.
Okay?
Hearing by
faith.
Okay?
So,
why does
he add
hearing there?
How does
accenting
hearing
make a
difference?
Well,
because
the Spirit
is supplied
by our
hearing.
He works
his miracles
in our
hearing.
Okay?
And this
is vital.
If you want
the Spirit
released to
work with
power,
you need
to hear
the Word
and believe
it.
Okay?
Hear the Word
and believe
it.
So,
when you
are battling
with sin,
what is
your first
act
in this
fray?
Okay?
Listen.
That's your
first act.
Listen.
Hear
something.
Get
something
into your
ear.
Okay?
Martin Luther
used to
say,
the ear
is the
Christian's
organ.
The ear
is the
Christian
organ.
What do
you mean
by that?
Not
seeing a
crucifix?
Isn't
the eye?
No!
It's the
ear.
Okay?
We need
to hear.
So,
faith comes
by hearing
and hearing
by the
Word of
God.
Okay?
So,
don't
minimize
the importance
of hearing.
Okay?
And by
hearing,
I'm not
saying necessarily
it has to
be acoustic
out loud.
Just like
when you
read a
book,
you're
actually hearing
it in your
mind,
aren't you?
You're
hearing it
acoustic.
Ambrose used
to do this.
Almost all
reading used
to be out
loud.
It used
to be
acoustic.
So,
anybody that
would read
silently like
we do
was a
marvel.
And Bishop
Ambrose was
one of those.
And people
used to
come and
actually just
watch him
because his
mouth would
be moving,
but they
wouldn't hear
anything.
But he was
hearing something.
Okay?
When you read
it, you hear
it.
So,
that's what
we mean
here.
So,
I need to
hear it,
even if it's
an inner
hearing.
So,
don't just
say,
oh,
when temptation
comes,
I'm just
going to
trust God.
I'm just
going to
trust God.
Well,
good.
But how
does that
play out
concretely?
That's still
too vague.
It's just
too vague
and amorphous.
I need to
get a
concrete
promise
about
something that
he tells
me,
promise or
his character,
and trust
that
concretely.
So,
how does
this play
out?
How does
this play
out?
Well,
when the
flesh
kindles
something
seeking to
conceive
sin in
me,
how do
I try
to kill
that?
Put it
to death.
Okay?
I need
to hear
the word
and listen
to a
promise.
And that's
what energizes
the spirit
to do his
killing work.
Okay,
let me give
you an example
of this.
In fact,
turn to
John 14.
Okay,
John 14
verse 1.
This is a
helpful example
of this.
See,
this is
precisely what
we see
Jesus doing
for his
disciples.
He sees
them starting
to get
anxious.
Okay,
uh-oh,
he's saying
something about
going away
and the
anxiety is
starting to
bubble up
and they're
about to
give themselves
over to
fear.
Their hearts
are about
to be
troubled.
And,
uh,
what does
he tell
him?
He gives
him a
promise.
Okay,
he says,
let not
your hearts
be troubled.
Okay,
believe in
God.
Okay,
good.
But that's
still too
vague,
too concrete.
Believe also
in me.
Okay,
I'm the
concrete
embodiment
of God
here.
Believe in
me.
Okay,
but even
that's not
quite enough.
He's going
to give
him something
more to
hang on
to.
Notice how
he goes
to a
specific
promise.
Okay,
in my
father's
house,
there are
many
mansions.
If it
were not
so,
I would
not have
told you.
And if
I go to
prepare a
place for
you,
I will
come back
and receive
you unto
myself.
That where
I am,
there you
may be
also.
So,
notice how
anxiety is
starting to
come up.
Okay,
whoa,
no,
believe in
God,
believe in
me,
focus,
me.
And here,
I'm going
to give
you a
concrete
promise
and put
your trust
in this
promise.
See,
he gets
a word
of promise
into them
in their
hearing,
and then
they're able
to put
their trust
in that,
and they're
able to
be at
peace,
and their
heart
not be
troubled.
And this
is what
we need
to do.
Okay,
if I,
oh my
goodness,
I'm this
old now,
and I'm
not married
yet,
and I need
a spouse,
oh my
goodness,
my life
is coming
undone,
what do
you do?
Okay,
well,
is there
some sort
of promise
that addresses
that?
You know,
Abraham,
God,
what will
you give
me?
What will
you give
me?
Abraham,
I am
your exceeding
great reward.
I think
you need
to give
me something
I,
no,
you tell
me you
are my
exceeding
great reward.
Genesis 15.
Okay,
there's a
concrete thing
that he
says.
I hear that,
I listen to
that.
Okay,
okay.
Yeah,
yeah,
there you go,
exactly,
exactly.
I remember
dropping
Vienna off,
my oldest
daughter.
She was
going to
kindergarten,
and she
was so
excited for
this,
and she
was there,
everything
was all
ready,
and she
was just
so happy
and excited,
and dropped
her off.
She had
her lunch
packed,
her lunch
box,
and I
picked her
up at
the end
of the
day,
and she
was crying.
And,
you know,
Vienna,
what happened?
Oh,
everybody
thought my
lunch box
was silly.
So they
made fun
of me
because I
had the
wrong
lunch box.
I don't
know,
it didn't
have the
right logo
on or
something.
And you
can see
she's about
to give
in to
these soul-sinking
thoughts,
I'm not
loved.
What do
we do?
As we're
driving home,
we're just
trying to get
her hearing
some word,
you know,
and try to
put to death
those soul-sinking
thoughts of
I'm not
loved.
Zechariah
2.8,
you are
the apple
of my
eye.
He who
touches you
touches the
apple of
my eye.
Jeremiah
31,
I don't
know,
three,
I have
loved you
with an
everlasting
love.
And on
and on
and on.
And you
can fill
those in.
And it
just began
to lift it
up and
gave her
something
concrete.
And even
for
kindergartner,
this works.
You can
do this.
You can
do this.
Scared of
getting on
a plane?
I see a lot
of people
scared of
getting on
a plane.
Oh my
goodness.
What if
it goes
down?
Oh,
there's
just a
lot of
empty
air
between
me
and
the
ground.
Deuteronomy
33,
27.
Underneath
me are
the
everlasting
arms.
What do
I need
to do?
I need
to tell
myself
that.
I need
to hear
myself
hear
the
words
underneath
are
the
everlasting
arms.
fear
not.
I am
with
you.
Be
not
dismayed.
I
am
your
God.
I
will
help
you.
I
will
uphold
you
by
my
victorious
right
hand.
I
will
uphold
you.
I
trust
in
those
promises
and
a
peace
begins
to
distill
into
my
heart.
And
that
sin
that's
about
to
conceive
of
anxiety
is
put
to
death
by
means
of
the
spirit.
About
to
leave.
I
should
have
tried
this
one.
About
to
leave
home
and
head
out
for
college.
I
think
uh-oh.
Whoa.
Leave
my father's
household.
I
am
with
you
and
we'll
watch
over
you
wherever
you
go.
Genesis
24
15.
You
are
the
God
of
my
fathers.
He
will
be
with
me
in
the
next
generation.
You
slant
with
concrete
promises.
And
even the
little
ridiculous
things.
I'm
late.
Oh
my
goodness.
I'm
oh
there
are
I'm
not
going
to
make
it
to
study
school
in
time.
There
are
roadblocks
that are
just
going
up.
There's
a
race.
I'm
supposed
to
tell
you
what
am
I
going
to
do?
Oh
no.
I'm
getting farther
away.
I'm getting
farther away.
Whoa.
The Lord
reigns.
Let the
earth
rejoice.
I can't
control this
but he
is in
control.
He
reigns.
I can
rejoice.
I can
rejoice.
Weary in
the
are
in
your
labors
for
others.
Proverbs
11
25.
Whoever
waters
others
shall
be
themselves
watered
of
God.
I
can
trust
you
God.
If
I
water
I'll
just
keep
watering
your
garden.
I
can
trust
you.
You
will
water
me.
You'll
water
me.
Are
you
here?
I'm
saying
do you
come
unto
me
all ye
that
weary
and are
heavy
laden?
I
will
give
you
rest.
Okay,
I'm
coming
Lord.
I'm
going to
keep
pressing
in,
but I'm
going to
keep
coming.
Is your
lot one
of
tribulation,
maybe leading
to self-pity
and discouragement?
Well,
kill it with
this word.
I had a
chance to
share it
this morning
with someone
who was just
starting to
sink.
Whoa,
whoa,
whoa.
Jesus
says,
in this
world,
you shall
have much
tribulation.
Yep,
you got that
right.
Your assessment
is sound,
but be
of good
cheer,
for I
have
overcome
the world.
This won't
be the last
chapter.
He's overcome
the world,
so we can
be of good
cheer.
So again,
you get
the concrete
promise,
and you
hang on
to that,
and you
just ring
out its
sweetness,
and that's
how the
uprising of
the flesh
will be
put to
death.
Death.
Afraid of
dying?
Fear of
death?
Again,
I've done
this many
times,
not too
many times,
but several
times,
right as a
person's
dying.
It is
fear,
you know.
Hey,
remember,
Jesus says,
John 11,
I am
the resurrection
and the
life.
Whoever
believes in
me,
even though
they die
like everyone
else,
yet they
will live
again.
Do you
believe this?
Then you're
at rest.
Spurgeon,
this morning,
did anybody
read morning
by morning?
Spurgeon,
this morning?
Affliction.
And the
lovely verse
was,
I have
chosen you
in the
furnace of
affliction.
Isaiah 48,
10.
As you
hear that,
I have
chosen you
in the
furnace of
affliction,
does that
not
distill
like a
soft,
cold
shower
on those
flames of
affliction,
assuaging
the flurry.
It's like
an asbestos
armor against
the heat of
affliction.
Yeah,
I might be
afflicted,
sure,
but I
have chosen
of God.
He's chosen
me.
He's chosen
me.
Death,
too.
When you
pass through
the waters,
I always
think of
Bunyan's
Pilgrim's
Progress and
crossing that
river.
when you
pass through
the waters,
I will be
with you.
And through
the rivers,
they shall
not overwhelm
you.
Isaiah 43,
2.
You hear
that,
even in
that last
hour,
and that
trembling
hand will
be stilled,
because you're
feeling him
holding it.
Hard time
giving up
ill-gotten
gain.
This is
oh,
gee,
you know,
but if I
come clean
and I
just tell
him how
much I
really
made,
that I
won't have
this money
anymore.
I have
so many
to use
this money
and nobody's
going to
find out.
I'm feeling
that the
Lord's
convicting
me,
but what
a loss
this would
be.
Remember
God's
words to
Amaziah.
Remember
King
Amaziah.
He's trying
to get
himself out
of his
problems,
so he's
hired all
these Egyptian
mercenaries.
Remember?
And then the
prophet comes
and says,
don't trust
the Egyptian
mercenaries.
But I've
already,
just tell him
to go home.
Tell him
to go home.
But he
says,
oh,
but I've
already
paid him
a thousand
talents.
I don't
want that,
I don't
want to have
loss of all
that money.
Remember
what the
prophet
tells him
in 2 Chronicles
25,
9?
the Lord
is able
to give
you so
much more
than that.
So much
more than
that.
That
verse
has helped
me to
put to
death
the
inducement
of flesh
to,
well,
no,
I just
got to
hang on
to this.
No,
it's
ill-gotten.
No.
The Lord
is able
to give
you so
much
more.
Don't worry
about that
loss.
Don't worry
about that
loss.
And
that's just,
you know,
hearing that
and trusting
it,
it's just
chemo
on just
the cancer
of the
flesh.
Lust
enticing
you away.
Yeah.
Matthew 5a
says,
the pure
in heart
shall see
God.
I want
to see
God.
Do I
want to
cloud my
eyes so
I can't
see God
well?
I don't
want that.
No.
And then
you turn
away.
Poll of
pornography.
Rejoice.
Proverbs 5,
18,
19.
Rejoice in
the wife
of your
youth.
Let her
breasts
satisfy
you and
fill you
with delight
at all
times.
I don't
want to
lose my
capacity
to have
my wife
satisfy me
sexually.
So I'm
not,
I'm not
going to
create some
sort of
composite
fantasy that's
not going to
allow me to
be delightfully
satisfied
in my
wife.
you walk
away.
Don't
think you
can face
tomorrow?
Too many
troubles.
I just
can't make
it.
It's just
overwhelming.
You and I
often will
wake up and
we'll kind of
grab each
other's
heads in
the morning.
At night,
usually the
way we've
gone to
bed is,
we'll just
say,
sufficient
thereof is
the evil
of each
day.
There's
been a
lot today.
Guess what?
It's done,
it's okay.
We're just
going to
close our
eyes and
it's
sufficient.
And then
we wake
up in
the morning,
clasp
our hands
and say,
okay,
remember,
Lamentations
3,
before we
even think
of our
checklist,
before we
think of
what we
got to
do,
what we're
facing
today,
the
steadfast
love of
the Lord
never
ceases.
His
mercies
never come
to an
end.
They are
new.
Every
morning.
Every
morning.
Okay,
we got a
new morning.
Who knows
what we're
going to
face.
But one
thing we
know,
we've got
new mercies
to meet
us for
these new
challenges.
And you
believe that
promise,
you've heard
it,
we say it
to each
other,
we hear
it,
and then
you're
ready to
go.
You leap
out of
bed and
you lean
in looking
for those
new
mercies.
So this
is what
it means
to put
to death
the deeds
of the
body by
the spirit,
the deeds
of the
flesh by
the spirit.
What's
going on
when we
meet our
flesh's
blandishments
with scriptural
truth?
death?
What's
happening
there?
Well,
we're
engaging
in a
battle of
stories.
A battle
of stories.
You see,
because the
flesh,
the flesh,
when it
kind of
rears its
head,
it's
telling us
a story.
It's
trying to
bring us
into
its
story.
And the
story that
it's trying
to tell
us is,
sin will
satisfy
you.
this
really is
your heart's
desire.
And it's
just an
isolated
indulgence.
It's
contained.
It won't
spill over
into anything
else and
mess up
your life,
create any
ripples.
It won't
lead to
anything
seriously
harmful.
Oh,
and it's
so worth
it.
We're
being given
a story
and
urged to
come and
live within
the story
that our
flesh
is telling
us.
And stories
have to be
met with
stories.
And the
scriptures
give us
a very
different
story.
That any
life worth
the name
of life
is to be
had in
Christ
Christ and
Christ
alone.
That God
is actually
the fountain
of living
water.
And these
other things,
they're
cisterns.
And they're
broken
cisterns
that can't
even hold
water.
Sin is a
murderer.
whisper.
And it
whispers
softly,
only that
it can
draw us
near enough
to stab
us fatally.
Its
pleasures
are poisoned.
When is it
ever delivered
on its
promises?
Oh,
it promises
big.
When is it
ever
delivered
on those
promises?
Sin is a
liar
from the
beginning.
It courts
me in order
to enslave
me.
Its
steps go
down to
death.
No,
I don't
want to
live in
that story.
Not the
one it
offers.
I see
the face
behind
the
incitement.
And it's
the face
of the
enemy of
my soul.
Get
ye behind
me,
Satan.
See,
that's the
story that
the Bible
is telling
us.
And when
we meet
sin with
scripture,
we're meeting
story
with
story.
And if
we encounter
sin solicitations
and the
alluring story
that it does
tell us,
without our
own story
that we're
living in,
we'll likely
succumb.
It's kind of
like an
actor that's
torn from
her drama
and she has
no storyline
to guide her
or govern
her.
Then she's
just adrift.
and she'll
just get
sucked into
a different
story.
Well,
when we
understand
this dynamic,
an implication
becomes pretty
forcefully
clear,
does it
not?
Are we
living within
the biblical
story?
Do we
know the
drama
in which
we are to
perform our
part?
do we
find that
drama
compelling?
Is our
consciousness
steeped in
that drama,
in that
story?
Are we
steeped in
the story?
And to
respond to
sin's
suggestions
with
scripture
isn't
simply
to quote
some
isolated
atomistic
Bible
verse,
like we're
reading from
a fortune
cookie.
it is
to apply
rather a
piece of
the rich
fabric
of that
story.
And with
really the
entire
weave of
that story
behind it.
To speak
scripture in
this way is
multum and
parvo.
It's just
much and
very little
compass.
promise.
So the
scripture that
we hear,
the promise
that we
hear,
is just
bringing a
whole world
view,
isn't it?
The whole
story.
But we
want to have
the portal,
the gateway,
be some
concrete
scripture.
Okay?
So I
ask,
are we
living within
the biblical
story?
Are we,
as we
seek to
grow in it,
finding it
more and
more compelling,
more and
more complete?
It accounts
for everything.
More and
more real.
More and
more beautiful.
Are we
more and
more confident
from tried
experience,
that it
always keeps
its promises?
It really
is true.
Sweeter
than honey.
For it
is the
expression
of the
one who
is altogether
beautiful,
and who
alone has
the words
of eternal
life.
And
another
cheering
reality,
this
scripture,
or sword
of the
spirit
method
of
slaying
sin,
is to
do so,
we said,
by means
of the
spirit,
and he,
the spirit,
is
undertaking
with us.
So we're
not alone
in this
endeavor.
For part
of the
spirit's
work is
to bring
the words
of scripture
to our
minds.
God's
is also
doing that.
Because I
don't know
about you,
but I
think,
uh-oh,
I might
not remember
scripture.
I don't
have a
very good
memory.
I don't
know.
No,
no,
but you're
not alone
here.
The spirit
is going
to help
do just
what is
needed and
bring the
scriptures to
mind.
you remember
John 14,
26,
Jesus is
telling his
disciples and
reassuring them,
the Holy
Spirit will
bring to
your
remembrance
all that
I have
said to
you.
And I
know that
that's a
reference to
the apostles,
but it has
broader
application to
all of us
disciples.
This is
something that
the spirit
will do.
John Owen
writes,
Christ has
said many
things,
things gracious
and heavenly
to his
disciples.
He had
given them
many rich
and precious
promises to
uphold their
hearts,
but knowing
full well
how ready
they were to
forget and
to let slip
the things
that were
spoken,
and how
coldly his
promises would
come into
their assistance
when retained
only in their
natural faculties,
and made
use of by
their own
strength.
To obviate
these evils,
to put away
these evils,
Jesus tells
them that
this work
he committed
to the charge
of another
who will
come,
who will
do it
to the
great purpose,
the comforter
who is in
you.
He shall
bring to
remembrance
and apply
to your
souls the
things that
I have
spoken,
the promises
that I
have made,
which will
be unto
you as
life from
the dead.
See that?
So that's
going to be
the Spirit's
work to
help out
here.
The Spirit
brings these
promises of
the Word to
our minds.
And then
not only
that,
but also
the Spirit
works upon
our affections
so we will
savor these
promises,
that they
will appear
to us
sweet,
surpassingly
sweet,
and we will
say,
yes,
this is
what I
need.
This is
worth trusting
in.
The Spirit
causes us
to lay
great stock
in these
promises,
to treasure
them,
delight in
them,
and to
experience
them as
food for
our souls.
We may
have read
the promises
a hundred
times before,
but when the
Spirit comes
and enlivens
them,
to quote
John Owen
again,
we may
have found
no more
savor in
them before
than the
white of
an egg,
but when
those same
promises are
brought to
remembrance
by the
Spirit,
the Comforter,
who is
with us,
then how
sweet they
become and
how full of
life and
power they
are.
How often,
continues Owen,
when the
spirits of
the saints
are ready
to faint
within them,
when straits
and perplexities
are round
about them,
that they
know not
what to
do,
or whither
to apply
themselves for
help or
supportment,
doth the
Spirit that
dwelleth in
them bring
to mind
some
seasonable,
suitable
promise of
Christ that
bears them
up quite
above their
difficulty and
distractions,
opening such
a new spring
of life and
consolation to
their souls.
as that
they who
but now
stooped,
yea,
were almost
bowed down
to the
ground,
do stand
upright and
feel no
weight or
burden at
all.
So the
Spirit takes
the promises
and makes
them become
with their
promise or
glorious in
our eyes.
And by
its glory or
weightiness in
our souls,
that's what
prevails to
slay our
sins, to
slay our
flesh.
So this
then is
how we
by the
Spirit put
to death
the flesh.
We set our
minds on
the things of
the Spirit,
which is
principally the
Word of God
and the
promises that
Christ makes
to us.
and behind
that promise
the person
of Christ.
This is to
slay the
flesh by the
sword of the
Spirit.
And this
Christ-appointed
means,
which the
Spirit energizes,
that's what
renders
effectual
this attempt
to slay our
sins.
And as
this is so,
okay,
we see how
critical the
role of the
Word is in
this work of
the Spirit.
Okay, yes,
the Spirit
brings the
promises to
mind, but
think about
it.
We have to
have them
in our
minds for
the Spirit
to work
upon them.
We have to
hide them in
our hearts
that He
might be able
to bring
them out of
our store
and placard
them before
our eyes.
We can't
just restrict
the Spirit's
bringing Scripture
to us by
highway billboards
that we happen
to pass when
we're driving
through Amish
country in
Pennsylvania and
somebody wrote a
promise on a
billboard or
maybe some sort
of sky
writer over
Daytona Beach.
sure, the
Spirit can
use that, but
let's not
restrict the
Spirit bringing
Word to us
that way.
We need to
sow a rich
store of
Word in our
hearts, and
this is critical
for the war on
the flesh.
As David
writes,
Thy Word have
I hidden in
my heart,
that I might
not sin
against you.
Okay, Psalm
119, verse
11.
So, since we
wanted to be
concrete, let
me ask you
concretely,
what measure
might you
undertake that
the Word of
Christ comes to
dwell in you
richly?
Colossians 3,
16.
How will you
begin to
make your
heart a
storehouse of
the rich,
abundant grain
of the promises
of God to
you, that
are all yes
and amen
in Jesus?
Okay, what
will you do?
Here's a
suggestion to
Spurgeon has
a, you know,
some of you
know his
morning and
evening.
We've talked
about that
morning by
morning and
evening by
evening.
He's got
another one
like that.
It's even
shorter, just
one paragraph
each instead
of a page
each, called
Faith's
Checkbook.
Okay, and
every day he's
got another
little promise
that he gives
and a little
exposition of
that to kind
of apply it
and help you
to trust it
and believe it.
It's a wonderful
little portion to
feed on every
day.
Spurgeon's
Checkbook of
Faith.
A fat portion
it is always
too.
And maybe let
the Apostle
Paul supply
the first pearl.
Okay, we want
to have like a
necklace of all
these promises
and kind of
string these
pearls on the
necklace so we
always wearing
it about our
neck and have
them at hand.
So we'll let
Paul supply the
first pearl of
promise as you
string the
needed necklace
and that
promise is this.
If by the
Spirit you
put to death
the deeds
of the body
you will
live.
You will
live.
All right.
Well, thank
you team.
Stop there.
And we
might have
three or four
minutes.
Any questions,
comments about
this?
Yes!
Chris?
My struggle
is how
do I
determine
promise
versus
situational
reading in
the Bible?
For example,
it would be
ridiculous for
me to think
the promise
of Abraham
and the
many nations
applied to
me.
Yes!
So how
do I
discern
between that?
Excellent
question.
Yes, yes.
So,
yes,
sometimes
they're
very
specific
and
contextualized.
Okay?
Your
wife,
Abraham,
who is
well advanced
in years
shall give
birth to
a son.
Okay?
So sometimes
you can
see that
this is
very,
very
contextually
spoken
to
an
individual
at a
particular
time and
place.
But the
vast majority
of promises
are simply
spoken to
the people
of God.
And the
other thing
that you
can do
is you
know that
the God
who has
spoken this
promise,
his character
has not
changed and
his goodwill
to his
people has
not changed.
So I bet
you there's
some sort
of application
of this
promise to
me,
even though
it wasn't
specifically
spoken to
me.
As again,
Paul writes,
all the
promises are
yes and
amen in
Jesus to
the people
of God
now.
So you
can think,
is there
some sort
of disposition
of God
that this
expresses?
That same
sort of
disposition
is true
of me.
Okay?
He has
promised that
I will not
be killed
by an
arrow.
Okay?
I might not
be worried
that that's
how I'm
going to
lose my
life.
But does
that mean
that my
life is in
his hands
and he
will protect
me?
Yes.
And even
though that
promise has
been spoken
in terms
of maybe
a pestilence
that stalks
by night
or an
arrow that
flies by
day or
the other
way around,
you kind
of have an
intuitive
sense that
he's watching
out for me
and he
has,
he knows the
number of
days that he
has for me
even before
I live one
of them.
so you
kind of
subtly get
to know
the language
of scripture
and how
to do
the translation
work.
Sometimes
it's hard
to give
precise
rules
about how
to go
about it
because it's
a language.
How do you
give rules
for translating
a language
where there's
certain idioms
in Japanese?
Well,
yeah,
you just get
a feel
for the
language.
So the
more you're
in scripture,
the more
you're going
to get a
feel for
the language
and how
to translate
those idioms.
But that's
a great
question.
Yeah.
O team,
I'm seeing
that time
and if it's
correct,
we probably
better head
up.
See you,
Lord willing,
next week
and we will
continue on.
I haven't
touched it,
so I
couldn't have
found it up.
I can't
carry it.
I can't
carry it.
I can't
carry it.